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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25017808">Chill (Or Your Head Will Explode)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/WorkInProgress84/pseuds/WorkInProgress84'>WorkInProgress84</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Merlin (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - Office, M/M, Shy Merlin (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-01</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 06:35:47</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>3,004</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25017808</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/WorkInProgress84/pseuds/WorkInProgress84</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Merlin's pathological shyness reaches ridiculous proportions when he meets Arthur at work, a fact not helped by how much of an arse Arthur is to him.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>18</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>248</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Chill (Or Your Head Will Explode)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I'm quite unhappy with this, something feels off. The pacing or the fact that it's in present tense and it feels weird to me.<br/>*throws fic and glitter*<br/>I hope you find something you like in it anyway!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Arthur is still Being Nice.</p>
<p>He obviously underwent a personality transplant, which Merlin is on the fence about; on the one hand, it's destabilising. On the other hand, if the technology is available, he'd love to try and trade his debilitating shyness for a more average trait.</p>
<p>Perhaps then it wouldn't have taken him three months to be able to talk to his colleagues without stuttering like a fool, and maybe then Big-Shot Arthur Pendagron wouldn’t have bullied him for blushing to hell every time someone addressed him.</p>
<p>Merlin still blushes: an unfortunate Pavlovian reaction to the rest of the human race. Arthur, though? He has stopped needling Merlin, and ribbing him, and playing laddish pranks on him. That is precisely the crux of the problem.</p>
<p>Merlin wants to believe that Arthur's change in behaviour comes from how, one day when his exhaustion overrode his shyness, Merlin vomited forceful, frustrated words - his jaw set, his fists clenched at his sides, his spine and shoulders ramrod straight so Arthur couldn’t tell he was shaking a little. Arthur's mouth was still hanging open when Merlin stormed off. </p>
<p>Merlin does want to believe. He's not naïve, though: a lifetime of observing people taught him that bullies like Arthur Pendagron don't change.</p>
<p>Except doubt started creeping in that night at the company's Christmas party… Arthur was thoughtful and caring and polite to a fault, all smiles and secret winks. A true gentleman. Merlin had observed, heart pounding and palms sweating whenever their eyes met and Arthur tried to hold his gaze.</p>
<p>Then it had clicked: it was a practical joke! Arthur's revenge because Merlin got the best of him that one time. He'd somehow found out that Merlin fancied the pants off him and he was now taking advantage: riling up the shy newbie was too much fun to pass up.</p>
<p>Merlin was certain Arthur wouldn’t find him so interesting if only he would stop blushing all the bloody time.</p>
<p>Being a bumbling disaster isn’t attractive at all but it's not like he can just switch off his shyness, is it? It's always been a major turn-off for people (potential friends, employers, dates) and if he's realised something in the short time he's been working with Arthur, it's that the man has a knack for exploiting people's weaknesses, and so that must be how he's devised <em>this</em>.</p>
<p>This strange <em>courtship</em> that’s just for laughs, made of little gestures and frankly outrageous breaches of Merlin’s personal space that have him blushing, overwhelming tides of blood that crash over his face relentlessly.</p>
<p>And yet.</p>
<p>He catches Arthur staring at him: he blushes.<br/>Arthur smiles at him: he blushes.<br/>Arthur holds the door for him: he blushes.<br/>Arthur compliments his new button-down: he blushes.<br/>Arthur brings him back a little Eiffel Tower from his weekend in Paris: he blushes.</p>
<p>Merlin blushes and stutters and sweats and his hands tremble. It’s the story of his life, really, he’s accustomed to it. The problem is that it’s become so much worse the second the beautiful Pratdragon entered the picture.</p>
<p>That's what makes this a torture: having a crush on a colleague is a bad idea at the best of times, but really? Arthur Pendagron? How ill-advised. The bloke is insufferable.</p>
<p>So here Merlin is on this Thursday morning: the vending machine is offering him a choice between peanut M&amp;Ms and a much less satisfying apple, and he’s sure Gwen from Accounting would say his pick will speak volumes about who he is as a person so he’s got to be smart about this. He’s absorbed in his metaphysical ponderings when Arthur slinks up to him. Merlin, half resigned to his fate, just accepts the way his face starts flushing before Arthur is even near him.</p>
<p>“Hello, Merlin,” Arthur says, drawing out the first syllable of his name. Merlin will never admit he enjoys it.</p>
<p>“Hey, Arthur.”</p>
<p>Merlin doesn’t turn away from the vending machine - eye contact makes everything worse, because Arthur’s blue eyes are the stuff of dreams - and keeps on weighing his options. That is, until Arthur steals the note he’s holding between two fingers and slips it into the machine.</p>
<p>“Hey, that’s mine!”</p>
<p>A packet of M&amp;Ms falls down. Arthur bends down to retrieve it, giving Merlin an amazing view of his butt and a bloody good reason to blush some more.</p>
<p>“We both know you were going to get the M&amp;Ms,” he says as he hands him the packet.</p>
<p>Merlin makes a dash for it, nostrils flaring up in annoyance. Arthur quickly snatches it away to hold it over his head. What a childish-</p>
<p>“Give it back.”</p>
<p>“Or what?” Arthur snorts with a raised eyebrow, but his eyes are twinkling with mischief, not malice. “Come and get it, Merlin.”</p>
<p>Merlin would, except it implies getting closer to Arthur and with his luck he’ll trip and have to put his hands on Arthur, and his impeccable shirt looks like it’d feel amazing under Merlin’s fingertips. It’d be warm from Arthur wearing it and the tosser’s probably got abs of steel under there, doesn’t he.</p>
<p>Merlin blushes.</p>
<p>He thinks about when Arthur takes away all the little attentions and laughs in Merlin’s face... Merlin’s life will suck and he'll feel like a fool for letting himself buy into Arthur's stupid flirting in the first place.</p>
<p>It’s a very good thing the hallway is deserted because no one needs to hear this or see Merlin purple in the face.</p>
<p>Merlin steels himself and glares. Ugh, if only Arthur wasn’t so gorgeous with his chiselled jaw and his blonde hair and his… everything. <em>Ugh</em>. Merlin feels his face grow hotter still.</p>
<p>“Look, you’ve had your laugh with the gifts and the touching and the <em>bloody flowers</em>. Now stop messing with me unless you really do want me to kick your arse.”</p>
<p>Merlin's accomplishments in the world of sports amount to that one time he set foot in a yoga class; there is no way his scrawny butt can take Arthur. The git doesn’t need to know that, though: for all he knows, Merlin could be a ninja.</p>
<p>Arthur stares at Merlin. If this were a cartoon, Arthur would have question marks bobbing over his head: his eyes are wide, his mouth is open and Merlin could swear his shoulders have drooped a little. It doesn’t last: soon enough, the surprise melts away and Arthur’s eyes grow shrewd again.</p>
<p>He puts the M&amp;Ms in his trousers pocket - the thief! - and takes a deliberate step into Merlin’s space. Merlin shuffles back, stumbles on the hallway’s carpeted floor until Arthur has him backed into a corner, a hand above Merlin’s head. He’s so close Merlin can feel the heat of him, although it could be his own reflected back at him because his ears are pulsing with blood. Meanwhile, Arthur stands there, cool as a cucumber, a determined look on his face. God, he smells marvellous.</p>
<p>“You think I’ve been taking the piss? You think this is an elaborate office prank, me getting you flowers?”</p>
<p>His tone sends a shiver down Merlin’s spine, dark and dangerous and thrilling and Merlin should feel threatened, not aroused. Or angry, he should definitely be angry. His eyes dart around to check nobody’s witnessing his humiliation. He should just kick Arthur in the balls, really.</p>
<p>“What else could it be?” he retorts, his jaw set. Arthur snorts.</p>
<p>“It could be me, trying to flirt with your dense arse, you idiot. You’re lucky you’re cute because I’m definitely not attracted to you for your smarts.”</p>
<p>Merlin sputters. He starts at least five sentences that never make it past the second word. He gesticulates, so much Arthur actually has to step back. <em>"What?! What?!</em> plays on loop in his head.</p>
<p>In the end, before a coherent thought can make it past his lips - and Merlin’s not sure whether he’s outraged or relieved or excited at this new development - Arthur grabs one of his flailing wrists and starts dragging him down the hall.</p>
<p>In quite a typical fashion, Merlin only manages to sputter some more while trying not to trip on his own feet; the last thing he needs is to literally fall before Arthur. It could happen, considering his head is spinning from the simple touch of Arthur's hand on his. </p>
<p>He follows along, and he’s just started asking where Arthur thinks he’s taking him when they abruptly stop. Merlin collides with the strong line of Arthur’s back and then he’s being yanked into a dark room and backed against yet another wall.</p>
<p>“Oi! Will you stop that!” Merlin squawks indignantly.</p>
<p>“Shut up, Merlin.”</p>
<p>“What are we- Where <em>are</em> we, even?” He looks around, his eyes adjusting to the darkness, the exit sign above the door casting a weak green glow. They’re surrounded by rows of stacked sheets of paper of different colours. “Oh. What are we doing here? Wait. Is this place supposed to be unlocked?”</p>
<p>“Your sense of priorities is astounding. The important thing is that it’s empty except for us.”</p>
<p>There’s a surge of heat in Merlin’s body. “Why do you need us to be alone?” He really hopes he knows the answer to this, but the prank is still at the forefront of his mind and he doesn’t dare hope too much.</p>
<p>“Take your M&amp;Ms, Merlin,” Arthur says, firm but gentle.</p>
<p>Merlin frowns in the darkness, but from what he can see of Arthur’s features, his face is unreadable as ever. Then he thinks about where the yellow packet currently is and he chokes on air.</p>
<p>“They’re in your pocket!” he squeaks.</p>
<p>“I’ve noticed, if you can believe that. Now take them back, go on.”</p>
<p>“No!” he yelps, his hands flying up under his chin like it’s going to protect them? Merlin’s not thinking rationally at the moment. “I’m not putting my hands in your trouser pocket!”</p>
<p>“Merlin, are you attracted to me?”</p>
<p>“Oh my God,” Merlin whimpers softly, covering his face with his hands. It’s much safer with this barrier between them.</p>
<p>“Because I’m attracted to you, very much so, and I’ve been trying to show you for weeks now, but if you don’t feel the same way, all you have to do is tell me and I will back off.”</p>
<p>It’s strange, so strange… Arthur uses the same solemn tone for everything: flirting, propositioning, asking for a report. It’s confusing as hell. </p>
<p>Above all, though, he sounds… earnest, which isn't any less confusing for Merlin, who can't quite bring himself to believe Arthur Pendagron, golden boy extraordinaire, likes him and is not, in fact, playing a cruel joke on him.</p>
<p>Merlin feels… stuck. The words he thinks he'd like to say are caught in his throat, and the mere thought of forcing them out somehow makes Merlin break out in a nervous sweat. This is <em>bad</em>. His heart is trying to hammer its way out of his ribcage, and Merlin perfectly understands: he would bolt, too, if his feet weren’t glued to the floor. </p>
<p>"Um. Um. I- I-” His voice breaks.</p>
<p>Something must click for Arthur: next thing he knows, Arthur’s hands are cupping his and very gently lowering them. Merlin keeps his eyes closed. Arthur doesn’t let go, runs his thumbs over Merlin’s skin in comforting little circles while air only summarily manages to enter his lungs. </p>
<p>Merlin opens his eyes. His entire body is so stiff it actually hurts.</p>
<p>Concern has replaced solemnity on Arthur’s face. Concern for Merlin. It shouldn’t be that surprising considering Arthur’s earlier confession but- it is.</p>
<p>“How about this,” he starts, his tone the kindest Merlin’s ever heard it. “Just nod to answer, yeah?" Merlin nods and closes his eyes again "Merlin, do you like me?”</p>
<p>He opens his eyes to narrow slits and peeks. "Not a joke, then?" Merlin croaks out weakly.</p>
<p>"Not even a little," Arthur replies, lifting a hand to brush Merlin's cheek with a thumb.</p>
<p>Merlin gives another small nod, aware that his face is on fire. Arthur's teeth are green in the light when his lips stretch into a wide smile. It warms Merlin down to his toes and his body slowly, slowly relaxes.</p>
<p>“Good.”</p>
<p>Then he cups Merlin’s red-hot cheeks with both hands and presses a kiss to his mouth. To his utter mortification, Merlin <em>moans</em>. Counting on the idea that he can perhaps scramble Arthur’s mind and make him forget about it, Merlin pushes into the kiss, grabs Arthur’s hips and pulls him in until they’re flush against each other.</p>
<p><em>Oh</em>.</p>
<p>Merlin understands why Arthur wanted him to put his hand down his trousers, the minx; he does have a not-so-small gift for Merlin there - and he's not talking about the M&amp;Ms.</p>
<p>“I’m sorry, I-” Arthur draws back to say, but Merlin throws himself back at him, aroused beyond belief.</p>
<p>It's like his brain has switched gears, like some unknown force has overridden Merlin's shyness: he grasps at everything he can, hands roaming everywhere, hips and back and neck and hair as he kisses Arthur senseless, feverish. Arthur is just so bloody <em>irresistible</em> he can’t help himself. </p>
<p>It might be a bit aggressive but he slides a hand down to squeeze a wonderfully rounded buttcheek.</p>
<p>Arthur breaks away from the kiss to put his forehead in the crook of Merlin’s neck - and he laughs. He honest-to-God giggles. Merlin's too surprised to feel self-conscious; he thinks he might be a little in love with Arthur's giggling.</p>
<p>“Sorry, sorry. It’s just- a minute ago you refused to put your hand in my pocket, and now you’re- you’re <em>groping</em> me like a sex-crazed maniac and the difference is- quite striking.”</p>
<p>“Should I st-”</p>
<p>“No! No, God, no,” Arthur says hastily as he steps closer again, tightens his hold on Merlin and starts kissing a trail up the column of his throat. “By all means, go on, don’t mind me.”</p>
<p>Merlin is… slightly distracted and abandons the groping to better savour the sensations. For once the butterflies in his stomach stem from anticipation, not anxiety. Maybe he should let his hindbrain take the wheel more often because it looks like it knows how to make Merlin feel good. Or maybe that’s just Arthur, who is nipping at his earlobe and soothing the bite with his tongue as he subtly rocks against Merlin’s leg.</p>
<p>“We need to stop, we’re going to get caught,” Merlin whines a little.</p>
<p>“You wouldn’t like that?” Arthur says, the ghost of his breath sending delightful tingles down his spine even as he shudders at the implications of his question.</p>
<p>“<em>No</em>.”</p>
<p>“Are you blushing, Merlin?”</p>
<p>“Why?” <em>Yes</em>. “Do you have some kind of weird fetish?”</p>
<p>“I didn’t before I met you,” Arthur answers, biting the top of Merlin’s ear. Arthur’s tongue is actually cool and very, very pleasant against the heated flesh.</p>
<p>Merlin flushes anew, euphoric, and beams. He can’t quite help it. </p>
<p>And then he remembers where they are, what they’re currently doing and, in his mind’s eye, he sees himself fired. Worse than that, he imagines someone walking in on them right now; the blood that had started rushing south suddenly retreats, and surely such violent blood tides are hazardous for Merlin’s health.</p>
<p>“Arthur, this isn’t the place.”</p>
<p>“No?” he whispers as the hand he’s got at the small of Merlin’s back brings him ever closer.</p>
<p>“Maybe we could… go on a date first? Far from our workplace? Then you could dry-hump me somewhere safer?”</p>
<p>Arthur chuckles against Merlin’s throat again, warm and sensual, and Merlin might be a bit in love with Arthur’s chuckle, too. Arthur steps back with a reluctant groan and a last kiss to the underside of Merlin’s jaw and looks at him, his eyes darting all over Merlin’s face.</p>
<p>If he looks anything like Arthur, Merlin understands the compulsion: the kiss-swollen lips are an invitation to dive back in, the dishevelled hair leaves little doubt as to what they’ve been doing, and even in the dim green light Merlin can tell Arthur’s pupils are blown wide with desire. That last one tickles him pink.</p>
<p>“So, um,” Arthur starts as he lifts his hands up to card through Merlin’s hair and attempt to tame it back into something acceptable, “since I’m attracted to you and you’re attracted to me, and since you mentioned going on a date… Are you free tonight?”</p>
<p>Merlin blushes, both at the question - even though he’d been kind of expecting it - and at the affectionate gesture. This man is going to be the death of him.</p>
<p>“It really depends on whether you plan on molesting me in public, I suppose,” he replies with a small grin.</p>
<p>“Cheeky,” Arthur says, delighted, and leans in for a quick peck that hides Merlin’s flaming cheeks. </p>
<p>“Yes, I’m free tonight,” he exhales with what little air Arthur’s left in his lungs. “You’ve got my email address and my phone number; I’ll let you arrange something.”</p>
<p>He slides away from his place between the wall and Arthur, still dizzy from the short but intense encounter, still reeling from the confession; Arthur is attracted to him, likes him enough to give him flowers and hold doors for him. Wow.</p>
<p>“Not a prank, then?” he asks once he’s stepped out, while Arthur is still standing where he left him.</p>
<p>“No, Merlin,” he says flatly. "Didn't we just spend the past ten minutes furiously making out?"</p>
<p>"Yeah, but-"</p>
<p>"Don't make me drag you back in here," Arthur cuts him off, the threat sending bolts of arousal down his spine. "Oh, and Merlin?"</p>
<p>"Yeah?"</p>
<p>"Think fast."</p>
<p>Merlin flails and just about manages to dodge the M&amp;Ms that catch at his shoulder and flop down at his feet.</p>
<p>"I hope your boner traps you in here for at least another half hour, you utter plonker," he says with as much dignity as he can muster while bending down to pick up the candy.</p>
<p>Arthur's booming laugh follows Merlin all the way back to the vending machine. Merlin might be a little in love with his laugh, too.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Day 24 - Shy</p></blockquote></div></div>
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